Hopefully you enjoyed enough sports over the weekend to tide you over for Monday. In addition to a major dip in basketball action, there are only two NHL games on the slate. Nevertheless, NHL DFS contests abound! Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your lineups.
GOALIE
Jordan Binnington, STL vs VGK ($29): If you believe in home/road splits for goalies, Binnington’s DFS value is underappreciated based on his overall numbers. He’s struggled on the road, but at home he has a 2.48 GAA and .922 save percentage. Vegas is just above average in both goals and shots on net per game. That means this matchup isn’t great, but being at home puts it in Binnington’s favor.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Cam Talbot, LOS at VAN ($35): Well, there are only four goalies in line to start Monday. Two I like for DFS purposes, one is Casey DeSmith, thrust into the starting role by Thatcher Demko‘s injury, and that just leaves Talbot. The recent performance of Talbot has been strong, but he’s on the road against a team that has averaged 3.51 goals per contest. He’s the one goalie you might consider rostering that I have reservations about.
CENTER
Robert Thomas, STL vs. VGK ($19): The Blues have a bottom-10 offense in goals per game, but the issue has been generating scoring around Thomas. St. Louis‘ number-one center has managed 73 points in 71 games even with all the struggles surrounding him. That includes 23 points with the extra man. The Golden Knights have a penalty kill just above average, but Logan Thompson will be in net, and he has a .905 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Chandler Stephenson, VGK at STL ($15): Jack Eichel is healthy, and a couple other Golden Knights are not, so these days Stephenson’s wings on the second line are William Carrier and Anthony Mantha. The Blues have allowed a fair amount of shots, 32.4 on net per game in fact. However, Stephenson does not register a ton of shots. He’s only managed 93 on target in 66 games. Are Carrier and Mantha going to cash in on his passes like Jonathan Marchessault or Mark Stone? I don’t think so.
WING
Kevin Fiala, LOS at VAN ($23): The Kings’ top power-play unit is their first line, Drew Doughty, and then Fiala on the point. He’s potted 26 points with the extra man in 70 contests. The Canucks have a middling penalty kill, but Demko has played a role in that. DeSmith has an .899 save percentage, so he’s not on Demko’s level.
Jonathan Marchessault, VGK at STL ($23): Unlike Stephenson, Marchessault excels at getting pucks on…